(Pink
dotted line
on the map)
The
village of
Castilléjar
extends around
the high peak
which stands
over the joining
of two rivers:
the River
Guardal and
the River
Galera. Its
peculiar layout
comes from
the occupation,
initially
defensive,
of the top
of the promontory,
that has since
spilt down
its slopes,
covering one
of its faces.
Also of note
is its peculiar
twisting roadway,
a testimony
it its agricultural
past and the
local threshing
technique
that left
its mark on
the area.
Most of the
houses are
peculiar in
that they
have been
totally or
partially
dug out from
the mountain
itself, making
Castilléjar
one of the
largest examples
of a cave-house
village.
The
route starts
off in Calle
del Agua,
in front of
a building
that in the
very near
future will
house both
the Ecology
museum and
the town’s
tourist office.
The route
itself is
clearly signposted
with red ceramic
plaques. The
first stretch
goes through
the centre,
the focus
for commercial
and social
activity in
the village.
After going
up the Calle
de la Iglesia
(Church Street
- built in
the 17th Century
on the remains
of an old
fortress)
and past Calle
Mayor and
Calle Huéscar,
it comes to
la Plaza de
la Constitución
(Contitution
Square) and
la Calle 4
Esquinas (the
Crossroads),
where you
can find the
town hall.
Moving
along it passes
through the
area of Eras
Bajas, and
goes down
to Puntal
de San Juan,
an area of
cave-houses
that overlooking
the joing
of the two
rivers. Going
back towards
the centre
it runs along
the plain
and the beautiful
Badlands (a
semi-dessert
area of great
environmental
value) which
lie to the
other side
of the road.
It then emerges
at the Plaza
Mayor, a pleasant
square once
the home of
the old town
hall.
The
route carries
on into an
area of recent
construction
where you
can find the
theatre, then
crosses the
Calle Huéscar,
and zigzags
between the
cave houses
of the Saliente
area. It then
goes down
until it reaches
the tower
monument,
a symbolic
ceramic work
of the local
area set upo
to welcome
visitors.
Moving up
once more
past the picturesque
cave-house
neighbourhood
it reaches
the Peña
neighbourhood
– the
highest part
of the village.
It
then goes
round Cerro
de la Cruz
(Cross Hill),
a magnificent
example of
cave town
planning with
four levels
of cave houses
stacked one
upon the other.
Descending
a steep lane
which almost
reaches the
river, and,
it then goes
up until it
comes to the
Eras Altas
area, where
you can find
a viewpoint
that offers
a beautiful
panoramic
view over
the plains
of the River
Guardal and
the 1368 metre
high Cerro
de Cubo, which
overlooks
the town.
The
end of the
route takes
you through
the calm little
streets of
the San Marco
area, under
the welcome
shade of its
delightful
cave-houses.
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